Answer:
Explanation:
To find the greatest common factor (GCF) of 42 and 56, we can use the prime factorization method.
First, we factor both numbers into their prime factors:
42 = 2 x 3 x 7
56 = 2 x 2 x 2 x 7
Next, we identify the common prime factors and their highest power between the two numbers. In this case, the common prime factors are 2 and 7, and the highest power of 2 that appears in both numbers is 2.
Therefore, the GCF of 42 and 56 is the product of the common prime factors raised to their highest power:
GCF = 2^2 x 7 = 4 x 7 = 28
Therefore, the GCF of 42 and 56 is 28.